In this third and last part, we’ll finally present the product of our work: two spots for the “International Dance Day”, event supported by the Unesco that occurs the 29th of April every year.
We are going to explain something about the animation of the various elements in the videos.

Have you feel the desire of getting closer to the visual effects world? This video has been created thinking about those who have no idea of doing what film makers and VFX create day after day. We want to start sharing the interest in this kind of themes.

This tutorial, made by two students whom “Computer Generated Effects” is not their strongest academic quality are trying to communicate to others (as them) the way in which with practice is possible to have a great result (little by little) and a brief introduction to the the software that will help amateurs to get involved in this world.

So, now we can start our short but useful trip to bringing a Star Wars light saber to a Samurai’s fight scene (from a movie: Sucker Punch). Enjoy it and remember that being dummy is not bad at all, is doing nothing to be better what kill people’s ideas, potential and creativity.

A long time ago film titles, the graphic image or sequence at the opening of a movie, were simply hand-illustrated cards photographed and inserted into a film.

Today, they are much like a mini-movie showcases the art of graphic design with filmmaking. Although short and not-always sweet, film titles serve a number of purposes. Besides introducing the title of the film and the main players that brought it to screen, they raise audiences’ expectations, evoke the film’s overall mood and set up the story. Film titles are, indeed, the primary impression an audience will have a film. As they have become more integral to film and a genre of design all their own, a growing number of spectators have started to enjoy the opening of the films.

In this mini documentary we’re going to explore the use of mirrors in cinema visual effects.

In fact from the beginning of the century mirrors have been employed like a practical instrument for all sorts of useful ends:

to bounce light, in case of inaccessible section in the set, directing the light with the mirror.

to provide wide angle views in restricted areas when the camera can’t be pulled back or when a short focal length can’t be employed. This effect, has been developed by Eugene Schufftan, who managed the special effects on Metropolis and created the Process specifically to address Lang’s desire to have actors moving around in his majestic miniatures. Basically, the process uses specially cut or altered mirrors. One section of the mirror would be de-silvered or otherwise made transparent. Actors would stand, specially positioned to appear the appropriate size, behind the mirror, and a miniature would be placed so the camera would capture its reflection in the mirror. The camera would be aimed at the mirror. Whatever was reflected in the mirror would be combined automatically through the camera’s eye with what it could see through the mirror.

to multiply images in a scene for surreal effects creating a communicating the character’s mood (like in the scene of the hall of mirrors in Citizen Kane, 1941)

to create ghosts using an invisible transparent mirror (but partially reflective) at 45 degrees, that would project in the scene other elements or actors out of it. With the same method is possibile to project a colored cardboard, for a little color grading. A white cardboard will make the image flatter filling the shadows, in opposite, a black one will obscure the shadows giving more contrast, instead, a colored cardboard will give his tone to the image.

to safeguard the crew and equipment from hazard. This effect has been employed especially with locomotives, for recording the train reflected in the mirror at 45 degrees let in the railway in front of it.

In general, mirrors have been a well used and economic resource in cinematography, especially when matte painting and digital post production didn’t exist; today is almost disappeared, unless someone want to try the romanticism of it!

For our master graduation project we produced a Game Of Thrones Intro inspired video as a tribute to Italy and to all GoT fans.
With the use of computer graphics and 3D modeling softwares, we recreated 6 of the most famous and loved italian cities.

The aim of our thesis is to analyze the impact of new technologies and social media on the diffusion of tv series-related contents produced by fans.

Have you ever wanted to control the time? Accelerate it, stop it or even cut it? After seeing this tutorial you will be able to do it!

Techniques such as time-lapse and hyper-lapse, both based on the stop motion animation, permit to manipulate the flow of time in our videos, representing long events in a short time, doing complex camera movements, and other interesting effects.

This video wants to give you some tips and suggestions for planning and shooting your time-lapses, even if you’re new to the technique or have just little experience.